Jaitley throws weight behind Uma, says she will not quit
The government will brazen out demands for action against senior BJP leaders, including Union minister Uma Bharti, following the Supreme Court’s order for their daily trial in the Babri demolition case.
BJP veteran LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Bharti and 10 others will be tried for criminal conspiracy in the 1992 case.
This is seen as a blow to the two BJP patriarchs, who were potential candidates for the President’s post, and the saffron clad Union minister, who was a face of the Ayodhya movement.
But, finance minister Arun Jaitley claimed charge sheet against any minister was not a ground for him to quit. “If charge sheets were a rule, just calculate how many Congress chief ministers, there are very few left, would have to go,” he told reporters. The government insisted that the Babri case was going on since 1993 and no new situation has arisen after the Wednesday order. “So the situation which was prevailing will continue,” Jaitley added.
Asked if the order scuttles LK Advani’s chance of becoming the next President, Jaitley replied, “This is a hypothetical question.”
Within hours of the news about the SC order pouring in, senior BJP leaders such as home minister Rajnath Singh, Jaitley, transport minister Nitin Gadkari and party president Amit Shah went into a huddle at the prime minister’s office.
Sources in the government argued there was no need to panic and cited rules, which apparently does not allow trial of others if one of the accused enjoys any sort of immunity.
In this case, Kalyan Singh has that immunity by virtue of holding the post of the governor of Rajasthan. Singh was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1992.
VHP general secretary Champat Rai, another accused in the case, insisted he would want the trial to be over in two years.
Union water resources minister Uma Bharti has put up a defiant note, saying she is ready to sacrifice her life for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Bharti’s assertion came soon after the Supreme Court’s order on Wednesday restoring criminal conspiracy charges against her in the 1992 Ayodhya Babri masjid demolition case.
“Grand Ram temple in Ayodhya is my dream. I am ready to go to prison or be hanged for India and Ram mandir,” Bharti said after the Supreme Court’s order.
The Union minister said she will go to Ayodhya tonight and visit the makeshift temple to seek Ram Lalla’s blessings.
Dismissing the conspiracy charges, Bharti said that she is unapologetic about her role in the Ram Janambhoomi movement. “I do not repent my role. Jahan bhi gai, ganga, ram aur tiranga ka apman hoga wahan larungi (Wherever cow, the Ganges, Lord Ram and the national flag is insulted, I am ready to fight for it and even give up my life),” she said.
The Union minister also brushed aside Congress’ demand for her resignation.
“I am not attached to any position. But who is the Congress to demand? Did any Congress leader resign after Sikh riots. Congress president Sonia Gandhi was at Rajiv Gandhi’s home when the 1984 Sikh riots happened. Does this mean Soniaji was part of the conspiracy?” Bharti asked.
The Union minister said she will do whatever it takes to see that the Ram temple is constructed.
“Ram temple will be built, koi maai ka laal use rok nahi sakta (no one has the power to stop it from being built),” Bharti said, adding she was present at the mosque site on December 6, 1992.
UNION MINISTER ALSO BRUSHES ASIDE DEMAND FOR HER RESIGNATION, ASKS DID ANY CONGRESS LEADER RESIGN AFTER SIKH RIOTS